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Markdown is a simple way to write web-friendly content without typing full HTML by hand. You use plain-text shortcuts like # for a heading, **bold** for bold text, and [link text](url) for links, then a Markdown renderer converts those shortcuts into HTML a browser can display.
Understanding that conversion makes Markdown much easier to use. Instead of memorizing syntax blindly, you can see how headings become <h1> and <h2> tags, paragraphs become <p> elements, lists become <ul> or <ol>, and images become <img> tags with alt text.
This guide walks through the most common Markdown patterns and the HTML they produce, including text formatting, links, images, lists, quotes, code, tables, and the moments when writing raw HTML inside Markdown is the simplest option.
Markdown vs. HTML: What’s the Difference?
Markdown and HTML are closely related, but they are not the same thing. Markdown is a lightweight writing format designed to be easy for humans to read and type. HTML is the markup language browsers understand when displaying web pages. In practice, you write Markdown, then a Markdown processor converts it into HTML.
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For example, if you write this in Markdown: # My Heading, it is commonly rendered as an HTML heading: <h1>My Heading</h1>. If you write **bold text**, it usually becomes <strong>bold text</strong>. Markdown gives you a shorter, cleaner way to express common HTML structures without typing every opening and closing tag yourself.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| # Title | <h1>Title</h1> | A top-level heading |
| **Save** | <strong>Save</strong> | Strong importance, usually shown as bold |
| Docs | <a href=”https://example.com”>Docs</a> | A clickable link |
| – Item | <ul><li>Item</li></ul> | An unordered list item |
The biggest difference is that Markdown is intentionally limited. It covers the things writers use most often: headings, paragraphs, emphasis, links, images, lists, quotes, code, and simple tables. HTML can describe much more, including forms, buttons, embedded media, layout containers, metadata, scripts, and detailed attributes. Markdown is great for writing content; HTML is better when you need exact structure or advanced control.
This also means Markdown output can vary slightly depending on the tool you use. GitHub, documentation sites, static site generators, taking apps, and content management systems may support different Markdown features. Some support tables, task lists, footnotes, or strikethrough; others do not. The core idea stays the same: Markdown is the easy-to-write source, and HTML is the structured result that appears in the browser.
Headings and Paragraphs
Headings are usually the first Markdown syntax beginners learn because they map so directly to HTML. In Markdown, you create a heading by placing one or more hash characters at the start of a line, followed by a space and the heading text. When rendered, those hashes become HTML heading elements from <h1> through <h6>.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
# Page title |
<h1>Page title</h1> |
Main title of the page |
## Section title |
<h2>Section title</h2> |
Major section |
### Subsection title |
<h3>Subsection title</h3> |
Subsection within a larger section |
#### Smaller heading |
<h4>Smaller heading</h4> |
Deeper nested content |
Most documents should have one main <h1>, then use <h2> for the largest sections beneath it. If a section needs smaller divisions, use <h3>, then <h4>, and so on. Markdown will not stop you from jumping from ## straight to #####, but a steady heading structure makes the page easier to scan and easier for browsers, screen readers, and search engines to understand.
Paragraphs in Markdown
Paragraphs are even simpler. In Markdown, plain text becomes a paragraph automatically. You do not need to wrap normal text in tags. A blank line separates one paragraph from the next. When rendered, each block of text becomes a <p> element in HTML.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML |
|---|---|
This is the first paragraph.
|
<p>This is the first paragraph.</p><p>This is the second paragraph.</p> |
A single line break inside a paragraph usually does not create a new paragraph in the final HTML. Many Markdown renderers treat nearby lines as part of the same paragraph unless there is a blank line between them. For example, two lines of text typed one after another may render as one <p> element with a normal space between the lines.
If you truly need a line break inside the same paragraph, Markdown commonly supports ending a line with two spaces before pressing Enter, or using an explicit <br> tag. For regular writing, though, blank lines are the clearest way to separate thoughts. Write headings with hash marks, write paragraphs as plain text, and use empty lines to show where one block ends and the next begins.
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Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, and Inline Text
Markdown makes common inline formatting quick to type, and the rendered result is usually a small piece of HTML wrapped around the words you marked up. “Inline” means the formatting stays inside the current paragraph instead of creating a new block on the page. Bold text, italic text, strikethrough text, and inline code are all examples of inline formatting.
| Markdown | Rendered meaning | Typical HTML output |
|---|---|---|
**bold text** |
Bold text | <strong>bold text</strong> |
__bold text__ |
Bold text | <strong>bold text</strong> |
*italic text* |
Italic text | <em>italic text</em> |
_italic text_ |
Italic text | <em>italic text</em> |
~~old text~~ |
Struck-through text | <del>old text</del> |
`inline code` |
Code-style text inside a line | <code>inline code</code> |
Use double asterisks or double underscores when you want strong emphasis: **Save changes before closing** commonly becomes Save changes before closing. In HTML, this is usually represented with <strong>, which carries meaning as well as visual weight. Use single asterisks or underscores for lighter emphasis: *optional* becomes optional, typically rendered with <em>. Although browsers often display <strong> as bold and <em> as italic, their purpose is semantic emphasis, not just decoration.
Strikethrough is written with double tildes, such as ~~version 1.0~~, and is commonly rendered as <del>version 1.0</del>. This is useful for showing removed text, outdated prices, completed items, or edits in documentation. Strikethrough is widely supported in many Markdown tools, including GitHub-flavored Markdown, but it is not part of the original Markdown syntax. If your Markdown renderer does not support it, the tildes may appear as plain text.
You can also combine inline styles, but keep the punctuation readable. For example, ***very *** often renders as text that is both bold and italic, using nested <strong> and <em> tags. Inline code uses backticks, as in `npm install`, and is rendered with <code>. It is best for commands, filenames, variables, short snippets, and literal characters. If you need to show Markdown syntax without triggering formatting, wrap it in backticks: `**not bold**` displays the asterisks instead of producing bold text.
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Links, Images, and Alt Text
Links and images use very similar Markdown patterns. A link wraps the clickable text in square brackets and places the destination URL in parentheses: [Visit MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/). When rendered as HTML, that becomes an anchor element: <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/">Visit MDN</a>. The text between the brackets is what the reader sees and clicks, while the URL inside the parentheses becomes the value of the href attribute.
You can also add optional title text after the URL. For example, [Visit MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/ "MDN Web Docs") renders to a link with a title attribute. Many browsers show this title when someone hovers over the link, but it should not contain essential information because hover text is not available to every user or device. Write link text that makes sense on its own, such as [Read the installation guide], instead of vague text like [click here].
| Markdown | Rendered HTML |
|---|---|
[Docs](https://example.com/docs) |
<a href="https://example.com/docs">Docs</a> |
[Email us](mailto:[email protected]) |
<a href="mailto:[email protected]">Email us</a> |
 |
<img src="bike.jpg" alt="A red bicycle"> |
Images look like links with an exclamation mark in front: . The image path or URL goes in the parentheses and becomes the src attribute in HTML. The text in square brackets becomes the alt attribute: <img src="image.jpg" alt="Alt text">. Alt text is used by screen readers, displayed when an image fails to load, and read by tools that need a text description of the page. It should describe the purpose of the image in context, not just the file name.
Good alt text is short, specific, and useful. If an image shows a dashboard error, alt="Payment dashboard showing a failed transaction message" is more helpful than alt="screenshot". If the image is decorative and adds no meaning, an empty alt value is often best in HTML: <img src="divider.png" alt="">. Standard Markdown can create empty alt text with , though some style guides prefer using raw HTML for decorative images so the intent is clearer.
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You can combine the two patterns to make a clickable image. Markdown such as [](https://example.com/shoes) renders as an anchor containing an image: <a href="https://example.com/shoes"><img src="shoe.jpg" alt="Product photo"></a>. In that case, the alt text should describe the link’s function, especially if the image is the only clickable content. For example, alt="View black running shoes" tells readers where the linked image will take them.
Lists, Blockquotes, and Horizontal Rules
Markdown makes it easy to structure content with lists, quoted text, and simple dividers. When rendered, these patterns become familiar HTML elements: unordered lists become <ul>, ordered lists become <ol>, list items become <li>, blockquotes become <blockquote>, and horizontal rules usually become <hr>. These elements help break up a page so readers can scan instructions, examples, warnings, and sections without facing one long wall of text.
Unordered and ordered lists
Use unordered lists when the order of items does not matter. In Markdown, you can start each item with a hyphen, asterisk, or plus sign. Most teams pick one style and use it consistently.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML |
|---|---|
- Apples |
<ul> |
Use ordered lists when the sequence matters, such as steps in a setup guide or a recipe. Markdown accepts numbers followed by periods. Even if you type 1. for every item, most Markdown renderers will output a properly numbered <ol> in HTML.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML |
|---|---|
1. Download the file |
<ol> |
Nested lists
You can nest one list inside another by indenting child items. This is useful for outlines, menus, and grouped instructions. The nested Markdown becomes a list inside a list item in HTML.
- Markdown pattern: indent sub-items under a parent item with spaces.
- HTML result: a nested
<ul>or<ol>appears inside the parent<li>. - Common use: breaking a large checklist into smaller related tasks.
Blockquotes
Blockquotes are created with the greater-than sign at the start of a line. They are often used for quoted material, callouts, testimonials, or highlighted passages. In HTML, Markdown turns this into a <blockquote> element.
| Markdown | Rendered HTML |
|---|---|
> Markdown is easy to read before it becomes HTML. |
<blockquote> |
Blockquotes can contain mulle paragraphs, lists, or inline formatting, depending on the Markdown renderer. For a multi-line quote, place > at the start of each quoted line. This keeps the whole passage grouped inside the same quote area when displayed on the page.
Horizontal rules
A horizontal rule creates a visual break between sections. In Markdown, three or more hyphens, asterisks, or underscores on their own line usually render as <hr>. For example, --- becomes <hr>. Use this sparingly: it works well for separating a major shift in topic, but headings are usually better for naming new sections.
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Code Blocks, Inline Code, and Escaping Characters
Markdown is often used for technical writing because it makes code easy to include without writing a lot of HTML by hand. There are two common ways to show code: inline code for short snippets inside a sentence, and code blocks for longer examples that should stand apart from the surrounding text. When Markdown is rendered, both usually become HTML elements that preserve the code-focused meaning and styling.
Inline code
Inline code is created by wrapping text in single backticks. It is best for filenames, commands, function names, HTML tags, CSS properties, package names, or short values that appear inside regular prose.
| Markdown | HTML output |
|---|---|
Use `npm install` to install dependencies. |
<p>Use <code>npm install</code> to install dependencies.</p> |
The `href` attribute sets the link target. |
<p>The <code>href</code> attribute sets the link target.</p> |
The backticks are not shown in the rendered page. Instead, the content becomes a <code> element. Browsers commonly display this in a monospace font, and many websites add a subtle background color to make it stand out.
Code blocks
For mulle lines of code, use a fenced code block. A fenced block starts with three backticks and ends with three backticks. Many Markdown processors also let you add a language name after the opening fence, such as html, css, js, python, or bash. That language label can be used by syntax highlighters to color the code.
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| Markdown | Typical HTML output |
|---|---|
```html |
<pre><code class="language-html"><button>Save</button></code></pre> |
A code block usually becomes a <pre> element containing a <code> element. The <pre> element preserves whitespace, line breaks, and indentation, which is exactly what code examples need. Without it, HTML would collapse extra spaces and treat line breaks like normal text spacing.
Escaping Markdown characters
Sometimes you want to show a character that Markdown would normally treat as formatting. For example, an asterisk can create emphasis, a hash can create a heading, and backticks can create code. To display one of these characters literally, place a backslash before it.
\*not italic\*renders as*not italic*\# Not a headingrenders as# Not a heading\[not a link\](https://example.com)renders as[not a link](https://example.com)Use two backticks like `` `code` `` when your inline code contains a backtick.
Escaping is most useful when writing tutorials about Markdown itself, documenting command-line patterns, or showing symbols exactly as a reader should type them. If the text is already inside an inline code span or fenced code block, you usually do not need to escape Markdown characters, because Markdown treats that content as code rather than formatting.
Tables and Using Raw HTML in Markdown
Markdown tables are a compact way to create simple HTML tables without writing every <table>, <tr>, and <td> tag by hand. They are commonly used for comparison charts, option lists, pricing rows, keyboard shortcuts, API fields, and any content that makes sense in rows and columns. A basic Markdown table uses pipes, hyphens, and a header row:
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| Markdown | Rendered HTML idea |
|---|---|
| Name | Role || --- | --- || Ana | Designer | |
<table> with a header row and one body row |
The first row becomes the table header, the second row separates headers from body cells, and every row after that becomes table data. In HTML terms, the header cells usually become <th> elements, while regular cells become <td> elements. Many Markdown processors also support alignment by adding colons to the separator row. For example, :--- aligns left, :---: centers, and ---: aligns right.
| Markdown pattern | Common result |
|---|---|
| Left | Center | Right || :--- | :---: | ---: | |
Three columns with left, centered, and right-aligned content |
| Product | Price || --- | ---: || Mug | $12 | |
A table where prices are easier to scan because they align on the right |
Tables work best when the data is simple. If a cell needs mulle paragraphs, nested lists, line breaks, buttons, icons, or custom attributes, plain Markdown can start to feel cramped. This is where raw HTML is useful. Most Markdown renderers allow HTML directly inside a Markdown document, so you can drop in a more precise element when Markdown syntax does not cover what you need. For example, you might use <br> for a line break inside a table cell, <sup> for superscript text, <kbd> for keyboard shortcuts, or a full <table> when you need more control over structure.
Common cases for raw HTML inside Markdown
- Custom line breaks: use
<br>when a normal Markdown line break is not enough. - Special inline elements: use
<sub>,<sup>,<mark>, or<kbd>for text that Markdown has no short syntax for. - Precise table markup: use raw
<table>HTML when you need grouped headers, captions, or more complex cells. - Embeds: documentation sites often allow iframes, videos, or custom components, depending on their security settings.
Raw HTML is powerful, but it depends on the platform. GitHub-flavored Markdown, static site generators, CMS editors, and documentation tools may sanitize or remove certain tags for security. Simple tags such as <br>, <details>, <>, and inline formatting tags are often accepted, while scripts, forms, styles, and iframes may be blocked. A practical rule is to use Markdown for the common structure and HTML only when you need a specific web feature that Markdown does not provide cleanly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use HTML inside a Markdown file?
Yes, most Markdown processors allow raw HTML inside Markdown. This is useful when Markdown does not support the exact element or attribute you need, such as a custom image size, a styled table cell, or a specific embed. Support varies by platform, so always preview the rendered output before publishing.
What HTML does Markdown create for headings?
Markdown headings become HTML heading tags from <h1> through <h6>. For example, # Title usually renders as <h1>Title</h1>, while ### Section renders as <h3>Section</h3>. Use headings in order so the page structure stays clear for readers and screen readers.
How do Markdown links and images differ in HTML?
A Markdown link like [Visit site](https://example.com) renders as an HTML anchor element, usually <a href="https://example.com">Visit site</a>. A Markdown image like  renders as an HTML image element with a src and alt attribute. The alt text should describe the image for people using screen readers or when the image fails to load.
How do I show Markdown characters without formatting them?
You can usually escape Markdown characters with a backslash, such as writing \* to show an asterisk instead of starting italic text. For code-related examples, wrap text in backticks so Markdown displays it as inline code. For longer examples, use a fenced code block with three backticks before and after the code.
Are Markdown tables the same as HTML tables?
Markdown tables are a simpler shortcut that render into HTML <table>, <tr>, <th>, and <td> elements. They work well for basic rows and columns, but they do not handle advanced layout features as cleanly as raw HTML. If you need merged cells, custom alignment, or extra attributes, raw HTML is usually the better choice.
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Markdown is a fast, readable way to write content, while HTML is what gives that content structure on the web. Once you understand how headings, links, images, lists, code blocks, quotes, and tables translate into HTML, Markdown feels much less mysterious.
Keep using Markdown for everyday writing, and reach for raw HTML only when you need extra control that Markdown does not provide. The next step is simple: write a small Markdown page, render it, and compare the output to the HTML behind it.
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